Every Kid in a Park: Youth Blog Series: Post #4 Natalia (Bilingual)

Every Kid in a Park – Youth Blog Series, Post #4Interview with Natalia A., former Every Kid in a Park pass user, in English and Spanish

Natalia A. just finished 5th grade at Lucy V. Barnsley Elementary School in Maryland. She participated in the Every Kid in a Program in its first year and was able to visit Shenandoah National Park for the first time last summer. Natalia’s family is originally from Ecuador.

Can you introduce yourself?

Natalia: Hi I’m Natalia, I’m 11 and I’m in the 5th grade. And I participated in the Every Kid in a Park program.

How did you get your Every Kid in a Park pass?

Natalia: I went online on the Every Kid in a Park website, took the activity/course and printed the pass.

What park did you visit and who did you go with?

Natalia: I visited to the Shenandoah National Park with my mom, dad, and grandma.

Can you describe the park?

Natalia: It has really pretty views of Luray, Virginia and you get see a lot of wildlife like bears and other animals. I saw a black bear!

What did you at Shenandoah National Park?

Natalia: We went on one of the hiking trails and we stopped at one of the places where you drive to the views to take pictures there.

What was your happiest memory at the park?

Natalia: Getting to go on the hike and look at the mini waterfalls. And all the nature and trees.

Was this your first time at Shenandoah National Park?

Natalia: Yeah, it was my first time!

Would you like to visit Shenandoah again or visit more parks?

Natalia: Yeah, I think it really enhances our point of view on how we see not just a local park but how it could be much more than that.

What’s your favorite activity to do outside?

Natalia: I think hike and take pictures. I like to look at things and sometimes research them afterwards to see what it is.

Why do you like to go to parks?

Natalia: We get to explore things and see things we’ve never seen before. We get to learn about not only the park but its history.

Are you happy you received your Every Kid in a Park pass?

Natalia: Yes. I think it opens up a lot of possibilities where you can explore different things that you can’t look out your window and see everyday.

Natalia will be going to a magnet middle school specializing in a Mathematics, Science, Computer Science Program. She is enjoying her summer on the local swim team and crafting projects of all sorts. She went back to visit Shenandoah National Park during National Park Week.